Hailey's Fund

Hailey is a 3-month old kitten who currently is being cared for at Animal Rescue Sofia in Bulgaria. As a stray kitten, just a few weeks old, she was hit by a car and left at the roadside, before someone found her and brought in to the shelter to receive emergency care. The shelter couldn't refuse to take her in - she was in pain and simply wouldn't survive on the streets.

Heartbreakingly, Hailey's injuries mean she is paralysed in both back legs, but despite her injuries, she is a ray of sunshine and always up for a cuddle! Unfortunately, she is likely to never be adopted in Bulgaria and spend the rest of her days at the shelter, as they struggle to even rehome healthy cats.

She currently lives in a small crate in the shelter's clinic for sick animals, surrounded by dogs, and sadly this is because the shelter are still fundraising to complete a designated area for rescued cats.

When visiting Animal Rescue Sofia as part of my work for Dogs Trust, I couldn't help but notice little Hailey meowing behind her crate bars every time I passed the clinic. Every opportunity I had I would grab her out of her crate and hold her in my arms. Putting her back in the crate every time broke me - I couldn't bear the thought of her never having the chance to live in a home and sit in someone's lap permanently.

If I could have brought Hailey home with me on my return flight I would have done, but due to her vaccinations she cannot travel until 21 days have passed. Now, I am determined to fundraise to help get her to the UK, but also to help pay towards anything a veterinary professional feels will help her live her life to its fullest - even if this means a cat wheelchair!

She is the sweetest little soul and deserves a much better life than the one currently dealt to her. Animal Rescue Sofia predominately look after dogs and do an amazing job in caring for so many, and a lot of animals they care for will eventually go on to find loving homes, even if it takes a little while. Hailey is different.

I feel like a man possessed to get this sweet little ray of sunshine over to the UK, and any donation, big or small, will be massively appreciated and go some way to changing the life of a little kitten, forever.

In an adapted version of one of my favourite quotes: